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LotL-1: What’s the purpose of this Faire?

As some of you know, Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire is the closest event to home for the FaireNews crew. Held each year in November at the Hickory Point Recreation Facility outside Tavares, the Faire is the first event of the Renaissance Grapefruit Circuit, a winter season that lasts through April. This year, I have the opportunity to chronicle some of the tasks involved in putting together a Faire. But before we get to that, let’s start with “What’s the purpose of this Faire?”

The faire is a fundraiser for the Educational Foundation of Lake County, which supports six programs designed to make a difference in Lake County Schools. The links I’ve included will take you to the photo gallery of that program.

  • Apple-Mart, is a store where, on Wednesdays, teachers can shop free. It is jammed packed with teacher and student supplies, furniture and clothing. The average shopping spree has a $50 value.
  • Back-to-School Fair serves over 3,000 students at or below poverty level in kindergarten through 5th grade. Each student receives a backpack and grade appropriate supplies valued at $55. Social provider partners set up at the fair to offer services such as eyeglasses and dental care.
  • Grants for Great Ideas which funds teacher grants up to $500 for innovative teaching approaches to high risk, low performing students. Lake County receives $53,000 in state matching dollars for this program.
  • Homework Assistance Hotline makes certified teachers available via phone or email from 4pm to 7pm, Monday-Thursday. The teachers have every textbook used in the district to assist students or parents with homework assignments
  • Take Stock in Children is a 2+2 scholarship Program that serves low-income students. Children are identified in the 7th grade and contract for the scholarship. Individual mentors are assigned to follow the children and performance is tracked. The Program has awarded 350 scholarships.
  • Teacher of the Year and 11 other recognition events are hosted by the foundation each year. The foundation serves as the district coordinator for the Department of Education and follows state guidelines for the recognition events and awards.

The Faire is also an opportunity show students in Lake County what living in the 16th century was like. That’s where Jay Carlage will focus his energies as he works with Jennifer Julien to help the volunteer cast develop their assigned roles. Jay’s goal is to have the villagers know what it would have been like to be a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker during Elizabethan times and to be able to explain it to visitors as they stroll the lanes of Hickory Grove on the Lake.

Tune in next week to learn what it was like to attend my first open audition for a faire.

August 25th, 2008 Posted by | Proclamations | one comment

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1 Comment »

  1. Pingback by LotL-2: Cast Auditions | FaireNews.com - Sharing the Joy of Faire!! | September 1, 2008

    […] week, I started a series about the Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire in Tavares, Florida, with “LotL-1: What’s the purpose of this Faire?” As we go forward, find all the entries in the series using the LotL […]


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